U.S.-based streaming giant and Google subsidiary YouTube has announced that its YouTube Music and YouTube Premium streaming platforms are now available in Canada.
YouTube Music is billed as a way for audiophiles and casual listeners alike to find “all the music on YouTube that you can’t find anywhere else.”
The ad-supported version provides users with access to music videos, official albums, singles, remixes, live performances and covers for free.
By contrast, YouTube Music Premium costs $9.99 CAD per month ($14.99 per month for a family plan) and provides listeners with an ad-free experience, the ability to download music on-the-go, as well as the option of listening to music in the background — including when your device’s screen isn’t turned on.
The app’s overall design layout should be familiar to anyone who’s used a music stream application before. YouTube Music is sleek, with a dark theme that does away with YouTube’s whites and reds in favour of deeper shades of grey.
The app also leverages Google’s search prowess to deliver a service that’s able to better predict future searches.
YouTube Music’s ‘Smart search’ feature, for example, allows users to search for ambiguous queries like “That space-theme Spice Girl song in the desert,” to produce accurate results.
In a sense, YouTube Music is yet another attempt on Google’s part to compete with apps like Apple Music and Spotify.
Google Play Music is Google’s official audio player application that allows users to upload their own songs to the cloud. The free version allows users to upload and download their own music — as well as listen to podcasts — while the paid version costs $9.99 CAD, and allows users to listen to and download full-length albums and individual tracks.
It’s important to note that paid Google Play Music subscribers will automatically receive access to YouTube Music Premium.
A June 18th, 2018 media release explains that “Nothing is changing with Google Play Music.”
Users will still be able to access all of their purchases music, uploads and playlists “just like always.”
In addition to YouTube Music, YouTube also announced that YouTube Premium is coming to Canada.
Formerly known as YouTube Red, YouTube Premium is Google’s response to video streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu and CraveTV.
YouTube Premium carries a number of originally produced programs, including Cobra Kai, Impulse, and The Sidemen Show.
YouTube Premium costs $11.99 and also allows users to download YouTube videos directly to their devices.
Additionally, a YouTube Premium subscription also counts as a YouTube Music Premium subscription, and also includes a subscription to Google Play Music at no additional cost.
YouTube Music is available to download on the Google Play Store and iOS App Store.
Anyone interested in signing up for YouTube Premium can do so through the regular YouTube website or YouTube mobile app.
Source: YouTube
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